Orange school leaders move toward tax hike

Orange County homeowners may be paying an extra 25 cents for every $1,000 of taxable property value next year.

The county's school board inched closer to passing the special tax Tuesday day to prepare for a tight budget in coming years.

The seven members unanimously decided to keep budgeting with $22 million that the new tax is expected to generate next year. A final vote, which requires a super-majority approval, won't come until July.

Orange's School Board is looking for ways to make up for three major hits to the district's budget through 2012: making up for smaller allocations from the state; paying for a possible new teacher merit-pay plan; and complying with tough new class-size caps in August.

Officials already plan to cut back on hours for summer-school and in arts programs. The district is also eliminating cell phones.

Four members — Chairwoman Joie Cadle and Vice-chairwoman Daryl Flynn, as well as Kat Gordon and Christine Moore — initially opposed the increase, but said they have changed their minds in recent months because of the dismal budget news out of Tallahassee.

"It's a tough road" ahead of us, said board member Nancy Robbinson, an early supporter of the tax.

Cadle said she is "holding her nose" while voting for it.

Seven people, mainly teachers, attended the meeting in support of raising the millage rate. No one turned out to oppose it.

Jamie O'Neal, whose daughter attends University High School, urged the board to pass the tax.

Doing so, she said, shows "on the record that Orange County believes in doing what is right and in protecting and providing for our kids."

The money can be used for critical operating or some capital needs.

Board members said they had no choice because the Legislature's proposed budgets for Orange and other school districts already assume they're levying the local option tax.